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Dog Breeding

A licence is required if you wish to keep a dog breeding establishment. A breeding establishment is defined as any premises where the breeding of dogs for sale is carried on i.e. during any 12 month period a total of four or more litters are born to any dogs (at any location).The requirement to be licensed is set out in the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973.

Completing your application

How to apply

If you are making your application online, you will be directed to our online payment system when you have completed your application

If you are sending us your application, you can send a cheque for the fee made payable to Argyll and Bute Council to the address below.

A new licence will be granted for a period one year from the date of grant. The renewal of licence will be granted for one year. It is recommended that you make a renewal application 3 months before your current licence is to expire so that the licence does not lapse.

The information you supply on this form will be used for the purpose for which you have provided it, and appropriate measures are in place to protect your personal data. A full privacy notice, which provides information about your rights under current data protection legislation and details about what will happen to your personal data can be found here:

The Application Process

How the application is dealt withOn receipt of the complete application, we will appoint a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner or an officer of the authority to inspect the premises where the dogs will normally be held and the veterinary surgeon or practitioner is to report back to ourselves on the premises, the applicant and any other relevant matter. We shall consider the report before determining whether to grant a licence. We are permitted to seek payment for the reasonable costs of the inspection from the applicant.

Is my application granted automatically?

No it is in the public interest that we process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period please contact us.

When determining we will consider the following:

that the dogs will at all times be kept in accommodation suitable as respects construction, size of quarters, number of occupants, exercising facilities, temperature, lighting, ventilation and cleanliness;

that the dogs will be adequately supplied with suitable food, drink and bedding material, adequately exercised, and visited at suitable intervals;

that all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread among dogs of infectious or contagious diseases;

that appropriate steps will be taken for the protection of the dogs in case of fire or other emergency;

that all appropriate steps will be taken to secure that the dogs will be provided with suitable food, drink and bedding material and adequately exercised when transported to or from the breeding establishment;

that bitches are not mated if they are less than one year old;

that bitches do not give birth to more than six litters of puppies each

that bitches do not give birth to puppies before the end of the period of twelve months beginning with the day on which they last gave birth to puppies; and

that accurate records in a form prescribed by regulations are kept at the premises and made available for inspection there by any officer of the local authority, or any veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner, authorised by the local authority to inspect the premises.

A licence may also be refused or withheld on other grounds if those grounds are such that conditions are not suitable for the breeding of dogs.

Objections and Appeals

If your application is refused you can contact us to request a statement of the reasons for our decision.You have a right of appeal to the Sheriff Court.

Appeals against the refusal of an application must be made to the Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde, Paisley Sheriff Court, St James Street, Paisley, PA3 2AW.

Licence Conditions

Each licence issued is subject to standard conditions that are imposed on all Dog Breeding Licences issued however a licence may also contain special conditions that are only applicable to your particular activity.

Standard Conditions include

1. That the dogs will at all times be kept in accommodation suitable as respects construction, size of quarters, number of occupants, exercising facilities, temperature, lighting, ventilation and cleanliness.

2. That the dogs will be adequately supplied with suitable food, drink and bedding material, adequately exercised, and (so far as necessary) visited at suitable intervals.

3. That all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread amongst dogs of infections and contagious diseases.

4. That all appropriate steps will be taken for the protection of the dogs in case of fire or other emergency.

5. That all appropriate steps will be taken to secure that the dogs will be provided with suitable food, drink and bedding material and adequately exercised when being transported to or from the breeding establishment.

6. That bitches will not be mated if they are less than one year old.

7. That all appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that bitches do not give birth to more than six litters of puppies each.

8. That all appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that bitches do not give birth to puppies before the end of the period of twelve months beginning with the day on which they last gave birth to puppies.

9. That dogs less than eight weeks old will not be sold otherwise than to the keeper of a licensed pet shop or a licensed Scottish rearing establishment.

10. That dogs sold to the keeper of a licensed pet shop or a licensed Scottish rearing establishment must wear a collar with an identifying tag or badge indicating the licensed breeding establishment where they are born, together with any additional information prescribed by regulation.

11. That accurate records in a form prescribed by regulations are kept at the premises and made available for inspection there by any officer of the Local Authority, or any veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner, authorised by the Local Authority to inspect the premises.